Contribution to the biogeography of the Hispaniola (Dominican Republic, Haiti)

Abstract

This paper, which deals with the geological history of Hispaniola in the general framework of Central America and particularly the Caribbean Sea, aims at revealing the influence of it on other areas. The paper studies the distribution of 675 species of Melastomataceae family, a family which has been used to establish the biogeographical ranges of Superprovince and biogeographical Province. The research also carried out a floristic and distributional study of 1.582 endemic species on Hispaniola. Nineteen working areas were defined and plant samples were taken in most of them following the Central European phytosociological method. With these datas, we plotted a map with the biogeographical Subprovinces and another one with the Sectors. The Superprovinces of Western Antilles, Central-Eastern Antilles have been established. This latter includes the Provinces of Eastern Antilles and Hispaniola. We propose a comprehensive biogeographical typology of the island. Due to its high endemicity and the great diversity of its habitats is moved to a upper range called biogeographical Province encompassing two Subprovinces: Central (one Sector) and Caribbean-Atlantic (Bahoruco-Hottense, Neiba-Metheux-Noroeste, Azua - San Juan - Hoya Henriquillo - Puerto Príncipe - Artiobonite - Gonaives, CaribbeanCibense and North).Nous analysons ici l'histoire géologique de La Hispaniola, pour étudier l'influence de l'Amérique centrale et surtout de la Caraïbe par la distribution de 675 espèces de Melastomataceae, afin d’établir les rangs biogéographiques de sous-region, superprovince, province et sous-province. L’étude florístique et de la distribution de 1.582 plantes endémiques de La Hispaniola révèle finalement deux grandes régions. Nous avons fait l’inventaire de la végétation dans ces deux régions, en suivant la méthode phytosociologique européenne ; on en déduit deux sous-provinces. La haute endémicité et la grande diversité d'habitats justifient le rang de province, en distinguant deux sous-provincias : la Centrale (un seul secteur), la Caribéo-atlantique (avec les secteurs BahorucoHottense, Neiba-Metheux-Nord-Ouest, Azua - Sán Juán - Lac Henriquillo - Port Prince - Artiobonite - Gonaives, Caribéo-Cibense et Nord).